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Check Weather
Everyone knows that weathermen are seldom correct. Even with high-tech gear,
predicting the chaotic nature of weather is not possible. A beautiful, sunny day can
turn to life-threatening rain in an hour. You have to be prepared for the worst
probable weather and its consequences. The word 'probable' is key - June in Europe
will not require snowgear, but will require raingear. You need to consider what the
worst effects will be from weather for which you did not prepare and then decide if it
is worth the risk. For example, hiking in Death Valley in April has a miniscule chance
for any precipitation, but an average daily high of 32 C and a record of 50 C. So, the
consequences of no raingear are much less than not taking a hat and lots of water.
Elevation and weather are closely related. In general, every 300 m in elevation means
a drop of 15 C degrees in air temperature. Also, the higher you go the faster and more
severe weather changes with big drops in temperature occurring quickly and higher
winds in general.
A sudden rain passing through may just cause you to seek shelter for 15 minutes. But,
your travel time may be greatly reduced afterwards due to a deep layer of mud on
the trail. Be ready to change your hike plans due to weather conditions. Read more
about what to do in case of lightning. While hiking on your trip, constantly stay in
touch with nature around you. Just walking through and oohing and aaahing over the
flowers and mountains is missing half the fun. Check out the clouds - are they
building? Are they picking up speed? Are they white or dark? What does the horizon
look like? Are birds still flying around? Is there a gentle breeze in the treetops or is the
wind getting stronger? Keeping an eye on your surroundings is fun and important.